Machine for making spiral windings



March 2, 1937. x H. wy vooRHl-:Es 2,072,284 MACHINE FOR MAKING SPIRAL WINDINGS l Filed Nov. so, 1955 :i BY y wf/f E im@ M Patented` Mar.. 2, 1937 UNITED MACHINE FOR MAKNG SPIRAL WINDINGS Harris Watson Voorhees, Morrisville, Pa., assigner to John A. Roeblings Sons Gompany, Trenton,

N. J., a corporation of New .llersey Application November 30, 1935, Serial No. 52,292 s claims. (ci. s-t5) such a mechanism which will produce the required casing from two sources of ilat wire supply, and in such a manner that of any two adjacent turns of the casing, each turn is formed from a different relatively at wire from a separate wire supply. g

A further object of the invention is to 'provide in the casing forming mechanism a push-off cam to force the wires axially along the casing being formed in relatively close relationship as the wires are formed into the spiral casing on a'suitable mandrel associated with the push-oil cam.'

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in-connection with the. accompanying drawing .which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the casing forming mechanism, taken axially thereof and -showing the wire supply reels and the spiral casing in process of formation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side lelevation of thepush-oif cam;

Figure 3 is a top of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the upper end of the guide tube.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a xed anchor i I is provided Awithin which is made fast the lower end of the vertical stationary spindle I2.

Above the spindle anchor I I is a sleeve block i3 within which is fixed a bearing sleeve It, through which passes' in an axialdirection and interiorly spaced therefrom, the stationary spindle I2.

Rotatably mounted on the xed bearing sleeve III is a reel carrier I5 having a lower sleeve portion I6 and an upper sleeve portion l'l. 'To the lower sleeve portion I6 is keyed, as at/I, a driven gear I9, which is driven by a driving gear in mesh withit, and itself power driven from any plan view of the push-off cam suitable source.

at 23, the supply reels 24 and 25. The adjustable mountings are provided for the purpose of varyving the takeoff angle made by the relatively flat wires being withdrawn from the wire supply reels with the axis of the lxed spindle i2. It will be understood that when the desired adjustment has been effected the reels are locked in their adjusted positions and remain so locked as the gear driven reel carrier I5 rotates on sleeve It during the formation of the spiral casing. The tension on the wires is regulated by the thumb nuts shown on the spool ends.

Fixed, as at 26, within the upper sleeve portion Il of the reel carrier is a guide tube 2l, axially through which and in interiorly spaced relation thereto passes the xed spindle I2.

The upper end of the guide tube 2l carries the push-oil camZ which is xed, as at 29, within the guide tube. The push-oi cam is provided with an axial passage 30 through which passes the stationary spindle I2 which projects upwardly beyond the push-olf cam and whose upper tapered end, lying within the formed spiral casing, is indicated by the dotted line 3i. The extent of taper in the preferred embodiment is of the order of that shown in the drawing-and indicated by Y the'lelgend Tapered" in Figure 1. The pushofi cam 28 is provided with two diametrically opposite `flat cam faces 32 and 33. Separating the two cam portions 32 and 33 are the opposite dat horizontal top portions 3B and of the pushofi cam.

The upper end of the guide tube 27 is provided with two opposite downwardly extending guide slots 36 and 3l, theV lower ends of which lie below the cam portions 32 and 33 of th'e push-oir cam. These slots receive and guide upon the cam surfaces the relatively at takeo wires 38' and 39 being withdrawn from the supply reels 2t and 25, respectively, in edge on relation to the cam faces. The slots tand 31 are cut as shown in Fig. 4, to allow free access .of the wires Vto thev spindle when the spools approach exhaustion as well as when they are full.

A limit collar 21 is amxed aboutthe upper end of the guide tube 2l: its lower end limits upward movement of the iiat wires 38 and 2d near the iixed spindle and before they reach the spindle.

At the commencement. of I operation of the mechanism the wires from the takeoff reels may be laid by hand through their respective slots and initially wound spirally upon the upper end of the stationary spindle i2. Thereafter rotation of the gear driven reel carrier tends to wrap the lead-off wires 32 and 39 about the upper end of the spindle. With the ,parts in the position shown in Figure 1 the cam surface 32 oi the push- 0E cam holds (in cooperation with the backingrolls .iii and 42 hereinafter referred to) the wire turns in close relation to each other. Y

Also, the abutment of the takeo wire 28 von the cam surface 22 prevents downward movement of vthe take/oft wire 38 axially on the stationary spindle l2, with the result that the cam causes a raising of the turns of the wire casing along and oi the upper end of the spindle as the reel carrier i 5 rotates. The turns of wire 39 are included 5 in this push-off effect of cam 28, for it is evident that with the parts in the position of Figure l, as'there viewed, the lower edge of the first turn of wire 39 on the spindle abuts the upper edge of the rst turn of wire 38 on the spindle, so that, with the parts inv the position shown, the cam, acting through wire 38, forces the turns of wire 33 along the spindle.

The slots 36 and 31 guide the wires onto the spindle, while allowing variations in the angle The functioning of either cam face, or of both cam faces, depends upon the adjustment of the reels Ato desired angular relation to the stationary spindle, upon which reel is used rst to place the first Wire initially upon the spindle preliminary to starting the machine, and, during the operation of the machine. upon the varying angular relation of the takeoff wires to the spindle axis as the reels are unwound.

After the formed casing 40 leaves the spindle, it is passed between one or more pairs of circumferentially grooved rolls 4l and 42, which function to keep the twist in the casing backing on the spindle, after which the casing may pass about an ordinary capstand to a take-up reel, not shown.

It will be understood that, while the invention is especially intended and is of especial value for use with fiat wires, the broader features of the invention are applicable also in forming spiral windings with wires of other form and such a machine is covered by the claims herein not limited to at wires.

What is claimed is: 40 1. In a machine for making spirally wound flexible wire casings from a pair of relatively t flat wires forming alternate turns of the casing, a

rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wire supply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary 45 spindle, means for pushing formed turns of alternate Wires off said spindle comprising a pushoff cam associated with said spindle, said cam having a pair of opposite push-off faces, and means for guiding a relatively flat wire from each 50 supply reel to said spindle in edge on relation to a push-off cam face while allowing freedom of said wire to assume varying angular relation to said spindle comprising a guide member rotatable With'saidY reel carrier and in fixed relation to 55 said push-off cam, said guide member providing a pair of opposite radial wire guiding slots, one

adjacent each push-on? cam face, and ineans for rotating the reel carrier.

2..In a machine for making spirally wound 60 flexible wire casings from a pair of relatively flat wires forming alternate turns of the casing, a rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wiresupply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary spindle, means for varying the angular relation of said 65 reels to said spindle, means for pushing formed turns of alternate wires off said s indie comprising a push-off cam through Whic said spindle extends, said cam having a pair of opposite beveled flat push-off faces, and means for guid- 70 ing a relatively nat wire from each supply'reel to said spindle in edge. on relation to a push-off j cam face while allowing freedom of said wire formed by the takeoff wires and the spindle axis.

to assume varying angular relation to said spindle comprising a guide member rotatable with said reel carrier and in xed relation to said push-off cam, said guide member providing a pair of opposite radial Wire guiding slots, one adjacent each push-off cam face, means for backing the formed turns of the casing on the spindle, and means for rotating the reel carrier.

3. In a machine for making spirally wound flexible wire casings from a pair of relatively fiat wires forming alternate turns of the casing, a rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wire supply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary spindle, means for varying the angular relation of said reels to said spindle, means for pushing formed turns of alternate wires ott said spindle comprising a push-olf cam through which said spindle extends, said cam having a pair of opposite beveled flat push-olf faces, and means for guiding a relatively flat. wire from each supply reel to said spindle in edge on relation to a push-olf cam face while-allowing freedom of said wire to assume varying angular relation to said spindle comprising a guide tube mounted in and rotatable with the reel carrier and having fixed therein, intermediate its ends, said push-off cam, the end of said guide tube beyond the cam push-fof! faces having a pair of opposite radial wire guiding slots, one adjacent each push-of! cam face, means for backing the formed turns of the casing on the spindle, and means for rotating the reel carrier.

4. In a machine for making spirally wound flexible wire casings from a pair of relatively fiat wires forming alternate turns of the casing, a rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wire supply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary spindle having a smooth tapered end, means for pushing formed turns of alternate wires oi! the tapered end of said spindle comprising a push-of! cam rotatable with respect lto said spindle. al guide member rotatable with said cam and having wire guiding slots adjacent said cam between said cam and said wire supply reels, and means for rotat- 4ing the reel carrier.

5. In a machine for making spirally wound flexible wire casings from a pair of relatively nat wires forming alternate turns of the casing, a rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wire supply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary spindle having a smooth tapered end, means for pushing formed turns of alternate wires of! the tapered end of s aid spindle comprising a pushoff cam rotatable with respect to said spindle, a guide member rotatable with said cam and having wire -guiding slots adjacent said cam, and adJustable slot-limiting collar fixed to said guide member, and means for rotating said reel carrier, guide member and push-oi! cam with respect to said spindle.

6. In a machine for making spirally wound ilexible wire casings from a pair of wires forming alternate' turns of the casing, a rotatable reel carrier, a pair of wire supply reels oppositely arranged thereon, a stationary spindle having a I smooth tapered end, meansfor pushing formed turns of alternate wires of! the tapered end of said spindle comprising a push-'olf cam rotatable` 

